United States of Tennis: With neon court lines, this "remixed" tennis club is unlike any other

In “United States of Tennis”, our Baseline editors Stephanie Livaudais and Liya Davidov have set out to document some of the country's most unique tennis experiences and iconic venues.

Spread across New York City are the instantly recognizable “Court 16” tennis clubs. With three locations—Downtown Brooklyn, Long Island City and Manhattan’s Financial District—and a packed schedule of youth and adult programs, there’s something for all ages at this club that’s unlike any other.

THE GIST

Court 16 gets its name from founder Anthony Evrard’s childhood tennis club growing up in Brussels, Belgium. Founded in 2014 with a location in Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood, the club has grown to include three facilities in three boroughs of the world’s priciest real estate.

But it’s easy to see why folks keep coming back, with Evrard’s passion for making tennis enjoyable for everyone—from the smallest beginners to advanced competitors—evident in the clubs’ innovative designs.

“Court 16 is really about making the first tennis memories for yourself and your family,” Evrard tells Livaudais in Downtown Brooklyn. “We try to be engraved in a neighborhood where there’s a good sense of community and where we can play a role in that community.

“We’re working closely with schools, working with offices, and working with residential buildings in the area to be a sort of a second home for the families who are rediscovering the sport of tennis.”

Throw out the traditional blue-and-green hard court colors and welcome a vivid yellow-and-gray colorway that “remixes” the tennis experience and invites a new one. After all, the club’s partnership with Babolat calls for proud visual representation, and it feels like a nod to their signature Pure Aero racquets.

THE VENUE(S)

Who says 78 feet makes a tennis court? Not Court 16.

At their FiDi facility, there’s a 28-foot practice court meant for ball machine practice, and 44-foot tennis courts fit for young players looking to play a “life-size” match. In Long Island City—which features the world’s first customizable LED-illuminated courts—there are 30-foot, 36-foot courts, and 60-foot tennis courts to play on. Plus, all locations also feature pickleball.

And a heads up for tennis purists: You can find a traditional full-sized, 78-foot tennis court at the flagship Downtown Brooklyn facility, along with a range of other court sizes.

The courts are tailored to individual player training—ranging from technical corrections to target practice—and are made with accessibility for all ages and levels in mind.

“We have a program that’s designed for visually impaired athletes called Sound of Tennis that we’re excited about, because we think about mobility a lot. We think about accessibility a lot,” Evrard adds. “My mother in law is visually impaired. So I was really inspired by seeing how many 'problems' she’s had to solve with this challenge.”

SELLING POINT

Accessible indoor courts in New York City are hard to come by, but there are plenty of options at Court 16’s facilities—where there’s a well-established community of tennis players and pros who are always smiling and hungry for more.

And members definitely get their money’s worth: Drills are intense and intentional, setting the bar for like-minded players to train with a purpose. Work up a sweat with players of all ages and skill levels, and tennis pros who genuinely want to see improvement with every session.

Plus, this tennis club has created a pickleball-positive culture with players from both sports playing and practicing alongside each other.

“We've had pickleball events since day one, because our primary focus is really developing fundamentals with children, with new players, and with beginners,” Evrard explains. “We see a lot of commonalities between the sports in the way players consume it: the fun side, the recreational side, and the social side…

"I don’t see why people wouldn’t enjoy both sports!”

If that’s not enough of a selling point, then it’s also worth noting that with Court 16’s partnership with Babolat comes a few perks, including occasionally seeing, meeting, and playing with tennis pros. In August before the US Open, the FiDi location hosted Australian Open finalist Jennifer Brady, and recently, the Brooklyn location welcomed former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters. Sign us up!